The EU directive applies only to incandescent bulbs for household use. But manufacturers are still allowed to

produce similar products as long as they are advertised as “rough-service” lamps for industrial use.

Usually tougher than household bulbs, these are available from specialist lighting and hardware shops and from online retailers at a much lower cost than the cheapest energy-saving alternatives, which use fluorescent lighting.

Ian Fursland, managing director of Hertfordshire-based independent retailer The Lamp Company, said the number of domestic customers snapping up rough-service bulbs had risen sharply in the past few years, though most sales

were still predominately to businesses.

He added: “People don’t like being forced to use something they don’t like.

“They are dissatisfied with these energy-saving bulbs.

“They don’t warm up as quickly, they glow a different colour, and they are ridiculously expensive. This ban is ridiculous.

"The whole thing is a farce.

“For a lot of applications you cannot get a compact fluorescent or an LED replacement that does what an incandescent does.”

He said that the EU had no power to fine firms that carried on selling incandescent bulbs for household use but

manufacturers have agreed with Brussels to cease production of them after Saturday’s deadline.

On The Lamp Company’s website, the cheapest 40W frosted standard bulb with a bayonet fitting costs between

£1.08 and £1.32, depending on the quantity bought.

The website states that it is “not for domestic use”.

The cheapest energy-saving alternative, at 11W, costs between £2.92 and £3.60.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which supports the ban, explained

that Saturday’s deadline was the final stage of a phased EU programme that began three years ago.

She said incandescent bulbs wasted 95 per cent of their energy as heat and that the technology had not changed for more than 100 years.

The spokeswoman added:

“The final stage of the EU phase-out of incandescent light bulbs will mean that, from September 1, 25W and 40W

bulbs will no longer be allowed into the market.

“However, this does not prevent retailers selling existing bulbs they have in stock.”